Baseem Wahab and SEEN Vision’s Tips for Summer Eye Care

If you thought we had a strange winter, the summer is definitely shaping up to defy logic, too. I’ve had a number of patients coming in lately for their eye exams and asking questions about eye protection for the coming months. This seems to be a subject of great interest, so I thought I’d share a few thoughts on it with all of you.

Substance Over Style
We enjoy looking good when we’re out and about, right? After all, who wouldn’t want the latest 2012 Ray-Ban, Prada or Serengeti sunglasses? And even though Billy Crystal once joked that “It’s better to look good than to feel good,” you absolutely need to make sure that whatever glasses you choose, they block 100 percent of UVB and UVA rays. Ultra violet rays don’t care about fashion, so that should be secondary to you, too. Let’s find you the right protection first, then we’ll worry about style.

Children Need Sunglasses
Have you ever gone out on an overcast day without suntan lotion and discovered you still wound up sunburned? Did you realize your eyes can get sunburned, too? Kids won’t think twice about leaving their sunglasses home on an overcast day when it’s time to play outside, so we need to remind them. Remember, UV is radiation, not sunlight. It doesn’t have to be bright out to damage your eyes.

But I Wear Contacts…
It doesn’t matter. Wear sunglasses even if you wear contacts. It’s true that some contacts offer UV protection, but they’re only covering part of your eye. What about the rest? All the areas surrounding where contact protection ends are exposed.

Okay, We’ll Say It Again
I once knew a college professor who mentioned that most of us think we’ll live forever here on earth. None of us have ever been able to pull that one off yet, but we continue believing it anyway. Still, the way to help prevent eye problems from getting the better of us as we do age is to keep up with regular eye exams. Having healthy eyes will not only help you feel good, but then we can help you look good, too. Take that, Billy Crystal!

If you have questions about sunglasses, UV protection or would like to set up an appointment, please contact us through our site or give us a call at 313-278-SEEN. Both myself and the staff here at SEEN Vision are here to help.


Dr. Baseem Wahab, Optometrist and owner of SEEN Vision Care in Metro Detroit’s Dearborn area, is also the president of Mobile Eye Care. He can also be found sharing his expertise with Eyes on You Image and Practice Consultants.